Notes From My Easel

Life hands us two certainties.  The first is that we have made the right decision.  The second is that we haven’t.  So it came to me as no surprise when Lennie phoned me on Saturday evening saying that he had just rented a car and was going to drive 150 miles to Los Angeles for the Alternate Therapy Cancer Convention. 

I haven’t gotten the whole story of the scene at the convention yet, but what Lennie did come away with was a new wealth of knowledge.  He made the acquaintance of a couple of the key note speakers and was introduced to a Dr Munoz from the San Diego clinic who is considered to be one of the best alternative cancer doctors.  Dr Munoz turned out to be a good friend of Dr Alvarez who is treating Lennie.  By the end of the conversation with Len he had said that he would come to Stella Maris and would work with Dr Alvarez to combine some of their individual therapies.  This is what we had prayed for and put out to the universe:  that Lennie would find the best of the best to treat him.  

I will be leaving for the airport in several hours to join Len in Mexico.  My next blog will be from what I see first hand there. 

Kathryn

www.kathrynsmith.ca

Ten years ago when I had cancer I would always go to the Cancer Centre in Hamilton by myself.  I didn’t really feel that I needed a support person with me and there were always plenty of magazines to read anyway.  But that’s just me.  Most of the people there had someone with them and others had their own entourage of family members and friends.  The saddest ones were the ones who truly were alone.  They didn’t talk to anyone; they didn’t read a magazine or book; they simply stared at the floor until their name was called.  I may have been alone, but I was not lonely.

So it has crept up on Lennie like a fog rolling in off the water.  Its name is lonliness.  What could be worse than having cancer, being in a strange country and being all by yourself?  I can’t get there fast enough.   I will be there in a few days, but I wish I was there right now since Lennie had a bad day today.

The day started out bad as he got onto the second shuttle instead of the first.  The second shuttle went to all of the other clinics first and instead of the usual 10 minute ride to the clinic it took an hour.  An hour of bouncing up and down until he was feeling nauseated by the time he arrived at Stella Maris.  He started his treatment with the low dose cobalt beam radiation to the main rectal mass.  Afterwards he went into the hyperthermia chamber for an hour and a quarter where his temperature was raised to 103 degrees.  He had a light sedation during this and all of his vital signs were monitored.  Everything went well.  This was followed by the DMSO and Laetrile, followed by IV vitamin C and a mixed IV cocktail of nutrients.

He had been given breakfast at the clinic, but no lunch today; why I don’t know, but then it was onto the shuttle for the trek across the Mexican/US border back to San Ysidro, CA.  Coming to the clinic only takes 10 minutes, but going back is another story.  The lineups are from one and a half to four hours for the average car.  Luckily there are bus lanes for the clinic shuttle buses so that they do not have to wait that long every day.  The heat, the long lineup, a bit of hypoglycemia from not eating much today.  All of that combined and down he went.  Lennie fainted right at the inspection booth.  Luckily someone caught him so that he didn’t hit the ground hard.  The border patrol gave him some juice and water and let him sit for a few minutes before going through.  When he got back to the hotel he slept for hours and didn’t even hear the phone ringing when I called.  After I talked to him later he got up and went out and got a Hawai’ian Chicken salad (memories of home) to eat.  He is now back in bed as I write this and hopefully will get a good night’s sleep. 

Sleep soundly sweetheart. 

I will be there soon. 

Kathryn

www.kathrynsmith.ca

www.pearlsofhawaii.com

A heartfelt thank you to all of the friends/customers that came over to my home on the weekend and either purchased a piece of artwork or gave me some uplifting stories and support.  I received nutritional samples, books on cancer therapy and many, many stories of people that had beat the odds and were cured of cancer through either the clinics in Mexico or alternative treatments.

Len just finished his 4th day of treatment at Stella Maris (Star of the Ocean) in Tijuana, Mexico.  Yesterday Dr Alvarez started incorporating into Lennie’s treatment whole body Hyperthermia, whereby his body temperature is raised to at least 102 while under a light sedation.  This has very little side effects.  Remember when we were children and we got a fever when we were sick?  This was the body’s own natural immune system response, training the immune system to fight any illness.  This induced ‘fever’ unstabilizes the cancer cells and makes their outer defence mechanism weaken.  It enhances the body’s immune system and at the same time a chemical reaction is created on the wall of  the cell by the heat and the immune system can then find the cell more specifically and easily.  Next the laetrile is given and is more able to penetrate the cancer cells.  Once inside the laetrile destroys the cancer cell. 

Len has also started low-dose cobalt beam radiation directly to the large mass in his colon to shrink it.  The dose that he is being given is just slightly higher than 50% of the standard amount that would be given here in Canada.

Today was a hard day for him as he is still there alone, without me.  He was feeling a little emotionally spent.  Thank goodness for phones.  He is currently getting a lot of nutrition in a small amount of food at the clinic so his weight has dropped a few pounds.  The rectal bleeding has stopped for now and he is walking a mile or so each day.

Lennie - Jan. 2010................. Handsome but really sick.

This is my first report on Lennie’s Cancer treatment in Mexico.

Thursday (August 26) was Lennie’s birthday.  He started bleeding from the rectum when he woke up.  That same morning we got his CEA result of 47.9 (this is a blood work tumor marker that should have a normal range of 0 – 4). His blood pressure (BP) had climbed to 166/90 (normal should be 120/70).  We also got a phone call from the receptionist of a surgeon that the gastroenterologist had made us an appointment with to say that the doctor would not see or treat Lennie due to legal issues with his being American. 
After this we decided that he should go as soon as possible to one of the cancer clinics in Tijuana while I remain here for another week.  We decided on the Stella Maris Clinic  www.stellamarisclinic.com   We phoned Dr Alvarez who is the MD and director of the clinic to make sure Lennie could get in.  Lennie got a flight later that evening and arrived in San Diego at 11 P.M.  Dr Alvarez sent a car and driver to pick him up at the airport and take him to a hotel in San Ysidro for the night.  He stayed at the Best Western where they give a $20 per night discount to cancer patients in the Tijuana clinics.  The next morning (Friday) Dr Alvarez drove to San Ysidro and picked up Lennie in person.  After driving back to the clinic in Tijuana, Lennie had a 1 hour consultation with the doctor about his prior health issues and a review of the test results from Canada. 
The treatment started immediately:
3 consecutive IV drip bags – the first one was a solution of Laetrile and vitamin C
- second IV was a high dose of vitamin C only (Lennie could take the high dose right away due to the fact that he had been doing the IV vitamin C therapy at NEX Health in Burlington 905-637-3310 for the past week.)
- the third bag was DMSO with multi-vitamins
While he was having the IV treatments the radiologist reviewed the CD of Len’s CAT scan and went over it with him.  He was there for approximately 4 hours.  He was given breakfast at the clinic and a light lunch.  He then caught a shuttle bus that picks up and delivers patients to many of the approximately 30 clinics in Tijuana and was taken back to his hotel in San Ysidro.  While on the shuttle he spoke to many others who were getting excellent results – one of whom was a woman who had undergone 3 months of out-patient treatment for Stage 4 breast cancer that had metastasized to both lungs and her chest cavity.  Her tumors have now shrunk to less than half their original size.
Saturday Lennie took the shuttle with the rest of the patients where he had the same schedule and treatment.  By the end of his first treatment on Friday his blood pressure was 120/80.  It remained the same on Saturday.

Sunday is a day of rest with no treatments.

The following is his staging report from the tests here in Canada:

• “Invasive adenocarcinoma.  Large rectal mass with evidence for localized lymph node involvement as well as invasion to adjacent pelvic structures including the seminal vesicles.  Two irregular liver lesions.  Non specific lung nodules.  The Stage could be T4N2M1(liver) and likely will need complex inter-disciplinary care.  Cure is still an objective but locally this is advanced.  Typically requires chemo, radiation, surgery locally(rectum), surgery to liver, assuming final assessment is T4N2M1, over a 5-9 month span of time.  He needs to be assessed quickly, to avoid rectal obstruction and to commence conventional treatments, likely first would be neo-adjuvant (i.e. pre surgery) chemo-radiation over 6 weeks.  Likely there would be a colostomy, but cannot be sure of that without a physical examination.”

For anyone who is interrested… the “Annual Cancer Control Convention, featuring Medical Doctors, Clinical Researchers, Nutritionists and Authors on Alternative Medicine, sharing their latest findings for treating cancer and other diseases. Over 50 speakers, 6 movies and 80 exhibits are presented at the Sheraton Universal Hotel in Hollywood, California every Labor Day Weekend.”
I got the above info from the website:  www.cancercontrolsociety.com  Cancer Control Society
2043 N. Berendo St.
Los Angeles, CA 90027
Phone: 323-663-7801  Fax: 323-663-7757

I will be blogging every couple of days on Lennie’s progress in Mexico.  Currently I am still in Hamilton and can be reached by phone @ 905-528-4197 or through my website @ www.kathrynsmith.ca   e-mail me: kathryn@hamiltonartist.com

My heartfelt thanks goes out to all of you who not only showed up this weekend to support us through your generous purchase of artwork, but also to those of you who have put us on your prayer lists and gave us tons of hope and encouragement with your own personal stories.

From our first date.

Our deepest gratitude,

Lennie & Kathryn

www.kathrynsmith.ca

905-528-4197

What a year it has been!  An incredible, beautiful year spent with Lennie – the man that I love.  We have travelled back and forth from Hawai’i to Hamilton to be able for each of us to stay in the other’s country for 6 months each.

There have been fun times and some incredible times.  We made it through the threat of the tsunami hitting Hawai’i.  But through it all I have watched Lennie getting more tired and just not looking well.  I have had him on different foods and regimens and diets.  He had a colonoscopy in 2007 which showed everything was alright.  He was treated at a walk-in clinic for a possible bacterial infection.  We finally saw a gastroenterologist at one of the hospitals who assured us that it was definately NOT cancer due to the previous colonoscopy result.  This time Lennie was tested for a parasite infection.  No parasites found.

This summer when he flew to Canada I talked him into getting another colonoscopy here.  While Lennie was sedated the Doctor called me into the room and showed me the scan of the huge tumor in his rectom.  “It’s definately cancer, and it’s bad.”  “But what about the previous scan?”  I asked.  “They must have missed it.”  he stated simply.  Those are the moments when your world comes crashing down around you.  Between blood tests, appointments, the colonoscopy and CT scan Len spent thousands here for health care that we Canadians take for granted. 

Cut to the chase… we are desperately trying to raise a lot of money fast with the sale of my artwork and are then planning to go to either Mexico or Germany for alternate therapy.  At the moment Lennie is receiving Vitamin C therapy – huge doses through an IV drip daily.  It definately has made an improvement in the way he feels.  This is being done at NEX Health on Harvester Road in Burlington.      You can reach NEX Health @  905-637-3310.    I will keep you posted. 

Carpe diem,

Kathryn

If you would like to help SAVE LENNIE’S LIFE

please go to my website below.

www.kathrynsmith.ca

Phone me @ 905-528-4197.

www.pearlsofhawaii.com

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas; at least in my studio.

My newest print is titled “Ancaster” and as the name implies, it is a view of the beautiful old Town Hall on a Winter’s evening with the overtones of Christmas evidenced by the Christmas ornamentation and Victorian Carolers. Chaucer and Catya make an appearance again in this scene as does the love of my life, Lennie. Yes, the man that I met in Hawai’i is here on vacation right now. Some of my friends say that we are doing it backwards – spending the summer months in Hawai’i and the winter here in Canada, but Christmas with snow is still very appealing.

Once again I will be hosting my annual “holiday studio tour and toy drive” please visit the website: www.holidaystudiotour.com This year I have added a Hawai’ian artist to my tour here in Hamilton, Ontario. I am importing hand made jewelry in the form of chocolate south sea shell pearls. 18″ strands of these beautiful 8,10 & 12mm pearls in shades from dark chocolate to light gold with matching earrings will also be available at my home/studio.

By the way, this is my 10th anniversary of prints. (Where did the years go?) But, what better way to celebrate than by including a bonus print in the form of a detail from the larger print that you can either keep or give as a gift.

Please visit my website for more information on my studio works and events.

Kathryn
www.kathrynsmith.ca

It’s June 24th. Today is my birthday. A lot has happened in the past few months. I have met the man that I am going to spend the rest of my life with. His name is Lennie. He lives in Hawai’i. That means that we both have started to do a lot of travelling.

I LOVE Hawai’i, and I love cooking. So I am taking advantage of the local fare… like the coconuts that fall off the trees. I was the most surprised that inside the husks the coconuts did not look like those that you buy on the mainland. Here they are not dark brown and dried out, but a lighter color and absolutely full of the delicious coconut milk.

In Honolulu it is a full time job cutting the coconuts off the trees before they have a chance to grow as many tourists like to lean on the trees. Locals do not lean against coconut trees for a very good reason and it would be bad for the tourist trade if tourists were killed by being hit on the head by a falling coconut!

Here is my own recipe for a delicious, moist coconut cake made from fresh coconuts, grown from the trees in our yard.

Fresh Hawaiian Coconut Cake
2/3 lb unsalted butter
2 Cups cane sugar
5 large eggs
3 Cups flour
1 ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
1 ½ tsp pure almond extract
½ tsp kosher salt
1 tsp baking powder
2/3 tsp baking soda
1 Cup of whole milk
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 2 (9-inch) round or square cake pans and dust lightly with flour.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar on medium-high speed for 3 to 5 minutes, until light yellow and fluffy. Add the eggs 1 at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl during mixing. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix well. The mixture will look slightly curdled.
In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the dry ingredients and the milk to the batter, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
Pour the batter evenly into the 2 pans and smooth the top with a knife. Bake in the center of the oven for 50 minutes, until the tops are browned and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool on a baking rack for 30 minutes.
Frosting
1 8 oz pkg of cream cheese
½ Cup unsalted butter at room temperature
4 Cups of fine or confectioners cane sugar
½ tsp salt
2 Tbsp whole milk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 packed Cup of shredded and dried fresh coconut
Additional 1 Cup of dried and sweetened coconut (optional – this coconut may be toasted if desired)
For the frosting, in the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the cream cheese, butter, vanilla, milk and salt on low speed. Add the confectioners’ sugar and mix until just smooth. Fold in 1 packed Cup of coconut. Reserve additional Cup of coconut for end.
Filling
1 box of Jell-o brand instant lemon pudding mix
Mix as directed on box
Slice each cake in two and add the lemon filling between all layers. Frost cake with icing and gently press the additional Cup of shredded coconut on top and sides of cake with your hand.

E’ai ka-ua,

Kathryn

www.hamiltonartist.com
www.kathrynsmith.ca

Here are the answers for all you children who helped color the “Pirate’s Cove” & “Cinderella’s Castle” wall murals at the Stoney Creek – Centennial Pkwy location of CAA on ‘Saturday, May 2nd.

‘Cinderella’s Secret’
Cinderella knows that to be beautiful on the outside, you also need to be beautiful on the inside. Be kind to animals; don’t fight with your brothers and sisters; and treat every person and living creature with respect and the beauty inside you will show on the outside too.

‘Treasure Map Code’
The code on the Treasure map was written backwards!!! Did you figure it out? The answer was “all good boys grow into fine young men”.

I hope that all of you budding artists had a great time coloring in the drawings that I did for you!

For any of you moms and dads that are thinking of having a painted portrait done of your little Cinderella or Pirate, please check out my website at www.kathrynsmith.ca

Return to my blog in a while for photos of the finished masterpieces done by all of you!

My best regards,
Kathryn
www.kathrynsmith.ca
www.hamiltonartist.com

This is a Christmas recipe worth repeating.

Nothing beats brining when it comes to the most delicious and moist turkey that you have ever tasted. 

Brining a turkey is very easy and is little more than a salt water bath with the addition of herbs and fruit.  This must be done however on a thawed or preferably fresh turkey and left to soak for 24 hours.  Therefore put the turkey in the brine early in the day on Christmas Eve so that it will be ready to go into the oven Christmas morning.

Please go to my recipe category to see “How to brine a turkey” and then make “My best cranberry sauce recipe” to go with it.

 Glad tidings of the season and a very Merry Christmas from

Chaucer, Catya and Kathryn

www.kathrynsmith.ca     www.hamiltonartist.com 

There are a variety of definitions for the word ‘charity’.  Two of those definitions are:  “a generous action” and “something given to someone in need”.  Taking these two definitions to heart in their most literal translations this Christmas, I have decided that charity does begin at home, or at least close to home.

I’m not going to advocate that anyone fore-go their charitable donations or abandon their charitable work, but what if you cut back a bit, or took the money that you would have spent on something useless like, yet another, Christmas decoration and instead, found one or two people that you know and paid it forward to them.  It might be a relative down on their luck, a neighbor who is unemployed, a friend with a small business that is not doing so well right now.  What if you made them your charitable donation this year?  This does not mean that you have to humble them or make them feel worthless.  Think of all the little things that you could do for one or two other people: 

• -How about decorating the front of the neighbor’s house for Christmas?  If you are doing your own, just buy extra garlands and bows, etc and ask the neighbor to help you decorate your house and in return you will help decorate theirs with the ‘extra’ as you are sure that you bought too much. 
• -Get back to baking.  Go grocery shopping and take all of the ingredients over to a friends house and suggest that you both do all of your baking together and then just share the final products.
• -Maybe your relatives would really appreciate you bringing over a basket of baked goods or even some main dishes.  Suggest a get-together at their home and offer to purchase or make all of the food.
• -Just drop in on a friend with a lunch or dinner that you have made.
• -And almost all of us know some small business owner who may really be struggling.  What is it that they make or sell at their business?  Can you shop for your friends there?  Is it a service that has gift certificates?  Ask some of your acquaintances to purchase from this proprietor.  Do you have a different small business?  Can you cross market with them by having some of each of your stuff at each other’s place?
• -Or maybe you actually have more money than time.  An anonymous gift in the form of a money order can seem like a windfall to someone who is flat broke.

Maybe at some time in your life, someone once helped you.  They probably do not expect you to pay them back since the true spirit of giving asks for nothing in return.  What they would expect is your gratitude and the best way of showing this is to pay forward their generosity of spirit to someone else. 

So, imagine if everyone helped someone else this Christmas.  The economy might just get a little better and we may discover the true meaning of the words charity and community.  You might just find that you have become a better person for ‘paying it forward’ this Christmas.

Enjoy all the wonders of this season,

Kathryn

www.kathrynsmith.ca     www.hamiltonartist.com